Bed roller machines are typically used in the field of commercial rug cleaning. Large rugs of the sort typically found in the lobbies, foyers and hallways of commercial, retail and industrial enterprises are sometimes removed for cleaning off-site. Once cleaned, these rugs are rolled on a bed roller machine to quickly shape the rug into a cylinder for ease of delivery.
A typical prior art bed roller machine is shown in FIG. 4. This machine has a first set of horizontal belts 1 interleaved with a second set of vertical belts 2. The first set of belts 1 moves the rug towards the second set of belts 2, which then moves the rug upward. An elbow 3 guides the front edge of the rug upwards towards a set of fingers 4, which fingers curve the front edge of the rug back over to begin forming the rug into the cylinder. Once the initial cylinder shape is formed, the action of the belts 1 and 2 continue to roll the rug into a cylindrical shape. The control panel is centrally located, below the first set of belts 1, and there are emergency stop buttons located on the hood above the fingers. This machine can roll a rug such that the hollow interior of the roll is about 5 inches in diameter.
There is an ongoing need for a new and improved bed roller machine to roll rugs in an easier, safer manner and which produce rugs that are more tightly rolled.